Franklin Township may look peaceful today, but during the American Revolution it was right in the thick of history. From troop movements to encampments, from French allies to British patrols, Franklin’s farms and roads witnessed it all. Here are some fascinating highlights: 

⚔️ Franklin Between Two War Zones

• In 1776–1777, British forces occupied New Brunswick while Washington’s army camped across the river and along the Watchung Mountains. Franklin sat directly between these opposing forces.

🚶 Washington’s Roads

• Routes through Bound Brook, Middlebush, Griggstown, and Kingston were used by Washington’s army to maneuver around British troops. Franklin’s roads were part of this vital network.

🌊 The Millstone River’s Strategic Role

• Local mills along the Millstone River and Six Mile Run ground grain for Continental soldiers. Franklin’s mills helped feed the army during harsh winter encampments.

French Allies on the Move

• In August 1781, Rochambeau’s French army marched across central New Jersey toward Yorktown. Their route passed just north and west of Franklin.

👀 Witness to History

• Franklin farmers saw Continental soldiers, French regiments, and British patrols pass near their properties at different points in the war.

🏕️ The Middlebrook Encampments

• Though centered in present-day Bridgewater, the encampments extended into Franklin. Local farms supplied food, and Franklin’s roads connected Washington’s defensive strongholds.

🎖️ British Base in New Brunswick

• While the British held New Brunswick (1776–1777), Franklin’s farms and roads endured scouting, skirmishes, and foraging activity.

🏔️ Washington’s “Natural Fortress”

• The Watchung Mountains, rising just beyond Franklin, gave Washington a secure vantage point to monitor British movements. This geography shaped troop routes and protected residents.

🚜 Before the Canal Villages

• East Millstone, Kingston, and Griggstown later became canal towns, but during the Revolution they were small farming communities supporting troop movements.

🌟 Franklin on the National Historic Trail

• Today, Franklin Township is officially part of the Washington–Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail (W3R), preserving its Revolutionary legacy.

✨ Why It Matters

Franklin’s Revolutionary story isn’t just about battles — it’s about geography, community, and resilience. The township’s roads, rivers, and farms played a crucial role in America’s fight for independence, and its legacy lives on as part of a national historic trail.

Things You Didn’t Know About the American Revolution

While the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776, the road to revolution began long before that historic moment. A series of British laws and policies steadily pushed the American Colonists toward resistance. What happened, and why did the Colonies ultimately choose independence?

The Colonists Are Pushed Too Far

In the years leading up to the Revolution, Parliament enacted a number of measures that placed increasing economic and personal burdens on the Colonies:

• The Wool Act restricted the Colonists from selling wool to other colonies or foreign nations, forcing them to rely on British-made cloth at higher prices.
• The Stamp Act was introduced to raise revenue for the Crown by requiring many printed materials—including newspapers, legal documents, magazines, and playing cards—to carry a paid revenue stamp.
• The Sugar Act imposed additional taxes and trade restrictions on goods such as sugar, rum, and molasses, making commerce more difficult for Colonial merchants.
• The Quartering Act required Colonists to house and supply British troops, often in their own homes.
• The Royal Proclamation of 1763 prohibited settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains, cutting off opportunities for Colonial expansion.
• The Townshend Acts placed new taxes on everyday goods such as glass, lead, paper, and tea.

Escalating Tensions

Rising tensions erupted in violence with the Boston Massacre, during which Crispus Attucks, a free man of African descent, was shot and killed. He is widely regarded as the first person to die in the American Revolution.

Soon after, Parliament passed the Tea Act, granting the British East India Company a monopoly on the tea trade. This action angered Colonists and sparked the famous Boston Tea Party, a bold act of protest against taxation without representation.

The Breaking Point

In response, Britain imposed the Intolerable Acts, which:

• Closed Boston Harbor
• Severely restricted self-government in Massachusetts
• Required residents to house and supply an even greater number of British troops

These harsh measures united the Colonies in resistance and directly led to the Battles of Lexington and Concord, the opening military engagements of the American Revolution.

And Independence Hadn’t Even Been Declared Yet

All of this occurred before the Declaration of Independence. These events laid the foundation for a revolution that would forever change the course of history.

Think this winter cold is tough? Be glad you weren’t a soldier in the Continental Army.

During the winter of 1775–1776, American troops were stationed in Cambridge, Massachusetts, with no barracks or permanent forts to protect them from the elements. Supplies were scarce, and many soldiers lacked proper tents and blankets. For some, their thin coats were the only protection against the bitter cold nights.

Conditions were just as brutal when the army crossed the Delaware River on Christmas Day. Temperatures ranged from 29 to 33 degrees, and a violent nor’easter battered the troops with rain, sleet, hail, and snow. Lord Stirling reported that more than half of the soldiers had no shoes. Many wrapped their feet in rags after wearing out their footwear during the retreat across New Jersey. According to accounts, the army’s path could be followed by the blood left behind from their bleeding feet.

After the Battle of Princeton, these same exhausted troops marched to Morristown. With the season too far along to construct proper winter quarters, soldiers spent the winter in tents, crude brush huts, or were quartered in local homes—sometimes up to 35 men in a single house.